Tommaso Perrino in the 77ᵗʰ Italian Open Golf Tournament

Here it comes… from Thursday to Sunday, the Chervò Golf Club San Vigilio di Pozzolengo (Brescia) will be hosting the 77ᵗʰ edition of the Italia Open, the Italian stage of the European Tour, the pro golf circuit that has resumed after a forced closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Along with world-class golf stars including Martin Kaymer from Germany, Lee Westwood from the UK – both at the top of the world tables in the past few years – Thorbjorn Olesen from Denmark and Bernd Wiesberger from Austria, will be our Tommaso Perrino, Coach of the Paralympic sector of the FIG and currently in fifth place in the WR4GD world ranking of the EDGA (European Disabled Golf Association).

Perrino, 36 years old, sponsored by Cetilar since last season, will be on the green with the other Italian players Renato Paratore, Guido Migliozzi, Edoardo Molinari, Francesco Laporta, Matteo Manassero, Lorenzo Gagli and Nino Bertasio, thanks to the wild card assigned to him by the Italian Golf Federation. A decision taken by Chairman Franco Chimenti, confirming the FIG’s faith in disabled players, for which a special technical sector has been created, led by Perrino himself.

A professional player from a young age, Tommaso has never stopped playing, even after a road accident that, also after an infection caught in hospital during rehabilitation, significantly reduced the functions in one leg. But the desire to play golf is like no other, and with his contagious enthusiasm he continues to be an example for all, in both life and his love for the sport. “It’s a dream come true, the greatest joy of my life. When Chairman Chimenti called me I cried for joy. I will never stop thanking him for giving me this unique opportunity,” Perrino states. “I hope I won’t shake with fear, I never dreamed of playing alongside the great champions who are in the tournament. It will be an experience I will carry with me for the rest of my life, it’s the demonstration that everything is possible. This is a sport that goes beyond all barriers, and I hope that I can show everyone this during the tournament, being an example and showing what paralympic golf can do. Looking forward to the Italian Disabled Open, where it would be great to repeat the 2019 victory, I hope the event can actually be held despite the health emergency”.

The 77ᵗʰ Italian Open will be shown on TV on Sky Sport, which will broadcast the whole tournament live, and on Rai Sport, which will show a daily summary and live broadcasts of the key points of the last round.